Clasico: Barca conquer Madrid

Barcelona conquered Real Madrid in Sunday morning’s Clasico friendly, winning 3-2 to lift the US edition of the International Champions Cup.

An end-to-end encounter at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami saw Barca start with Neymar, who assisted Gerard Pique for his second-half winner, and Madrid end their US tour with three defeats out of three.

It took Lionel Messi just three minutes to turn Luka Modric in the box and curl home via a deflection, before Ivan Rakitic angled a shot past Keylor Navas from Luis Suarez’s dummy.

Suarez then blazed over Neymar’s free kick at Keylor’s near post, while Rakitic half-volleyed a shot just wide from the edge of the Madrid box.

The tide would turn in Los Blancos’ favour as Mateo Kovacic pulled one back, lining up a shot, which he arrowed into Jasper Cillessen’s bottom left, although Karim Benzema potted wide moments later.

Messi, meanwhile, was denied by Keylor after he bypassed Raphael Varane, but Jordi Alba was

less fortunate when Marco Asensio spun him and netted from point-blank range for 2-2.

Nonetheless, the Catalans restored their lead when an unmarked Gerard Pique flicked in Neymar’s lofted free kick.

More chances followed as Neymar rounded Keylor but failed to hit the target, before Cillessen kept out close-range efforts from Marcelo and Isco.

Barca should’ve extended their advantage, but Samuel Umtiti had a shot cleared off the line and Suarez failed in his one-on-one with Keylor.

However, they were grateful to see Asensio’s curler from the left parried wide by Cillessen and Dani Ceballos bend one inches wide.